Portable clothes-drying rack



April 28, 1953 J. M B. WEBB PORTABLE CLOTHES DRYING RACK Filed May 8, 1952 J M ll zb INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to portable clothes driers, the primary object of the invention being to provide a clothes drier of the portable type which may be readily and easily clamped in position on the radiator of a heating system, affording means for supporting articles of apparel for drying.

An important object of the invention is to provide a drying rack of this character embodying a spring clamp which is so constructed and ar ranged that the clamp may be readily positioned between adjacent coils of a radiator in clamping relation therewith, providing an exceptionally strong support for the swinging arms which form a part of the rack.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a clamp which will be readily adjusted for use in clamping radiator coils of various sizes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view of the rack, illustrating the rack as positioned within a radiator.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the radiator illustrating the clamp of the rack as positioned between the coils thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the pivoted supporting arms of the rack in section as mounted on the supporting plate for the pivoted arms.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the clamp embodies the main supporting plate 5 to which the U-shaped bracket 6 is secured, as by means of the bolts 7 which are shown as passing through the supporting plate 5 and openings in the right angled ends 5' of the U-shaped bracket.

This bracket 6 provides a support for the clamp rod 6 which extends through an opening in the plate 5 and a registering opening in the end bar 9 of the bracket, the rod 8 being substantially long so that it will have a large range of adjustment for the clamp H which is adjustably mounted on the rod 6. The clamp II is held in its positions of adjustment on the rod 8, by means of the set screw [2, so that by loosening the set screw l2, the clamp Il may be readily adjusted along the rod 8 and secured in such positions of adjustment.

Secured to the rod 8 and located within the bracket 6, is the collar I3, which collar provides a stop for the coiled spring 14 which is wrapped around the rod with one end thereof bearing against the end bar I!) of the U-shaped bracket to the end that the rod 8 is biased outwardly under the action of the spring.

The reference character l5 indicates the arms of the rack on which the articles of apparel to be dried are hung. These arms are constructed preferably of lengths of wire material bent upon themselves providing spaced leg members It that are connected by the brace link l6. These leg members have right angled ends I? that are fitted in the tubular members l8 formed integral with the plates l9. These plates I9 are securedto the main supporting plate 5, by means of the bolts 20 that pass through registering openings in the plates l9 and 5.

Secured to the forward end of the rod 8, is the finger piece 2i by means of which the rod 8 may be forced inwardly to position the clamp ll behind coils of the radiator with which the rack is used. It is obvious that when the finger piece 2! is released, after the positioning of the rod 8 and clamp II, the coiled spring M will act to draw the clamp II into close engagement with the coils of the radiator with which the clamp is associated, the radiator coils being indicated by the reference character A.

It will of course be understood that the spring 14, While it draws the clamp l I towards the coils, also draws the main supporting plate 5 into contact with the outer surfaces of the coils clamping the coils between the plate 5 and clamp l l. The arms l5 of the rack may now be used in supporting articles for drying.

It will also be seen that due to the construction of the rack the arms maybe readily disconnected from the supporting plate 5 for convenience in storing or transporting.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A portable drying rack comprising a main supporting plate, a U-shaped horizontally disposed bracket secured to the rear surface of the supporting plate, said plate and bracket having aligning openings, a rod extending through said aligning openings, a collar secured to the rod within the bracket, a coiled spring mounted on the rod between the collar and one end of the bracket, a clamp on said rod, said spring biasing the clamp and main supporting plate towards each other and clamping a supporting member therebetween, and article supporting arms mounted on said main supporting plate.

JAMES MCBRYDE WEBB.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

